Bag supporting device



Feb. 12, 1946- L. B. EATON 2,394,901

BAG SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed May 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N4 F1 4; 14 W INVENTOR a. aazw M QAWLLL ATTORNEY Feb. 12, 1946. B. EATON -2',394,90l

' 4 BAG SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed May 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 k INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 12, 1946 BAG SUPPQRTING DEVICE Lewis B. Eaton, Quincy, Mass; assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation,

Limited, Quincy,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 16, 1941, Serial No. 393,767

Claims. (Cl. 226 -51):

February 16, 1937, and No..2,351,382, granted June 13, 1944, and which is particularly adapted to more securely hold the bag in a closed position during the formation thereof, whereby to prevent slippage of the bag in its supporting device and also to prevent the escape of tea therefrom during its movement to the various mechanisms for producing the bag.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the bag supporting device for tea bagging machines and also in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings'illustrating the preferred form of theinvention, Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of a bag supporting device embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the bag'supporting device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bag supporting member shown in its closed position; Fig.

4 is. a perspective view showing the bag supporting member in its open position; Fig. 5 is a plan view in cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation illustrating the supporting device in a different position of operation and Fig. 7 is a plan view of a tea bagging machine showing the present bag supporting members carried by and mounted for pivotal movement on an endless chain.

In general, the present invention contemplates the provision of a bag supporting member or gripper of novel and improved construction particularly adapted to be mounted upon an endless carrier chain forming part of a tea bagging machine of the type illustrated and described in the United States patent to Williams, No. 2,071,244, issued February 16, 1937, or No. 2,351,382 granted June 13, 1944, and in such a machine provision is made for forming, filling and closing-a tea bag of the so-called pillow or envelope type while the bag is held between the clamping jaws of a bag supporting member.

In the operation of such a tea bagging machine and as described in said Williams patents, the clampingjaws are arranged to be openedto' receive a folded web of bag forming material and as the supporting member is advanced, a filling'tube is caused to enter between the sides of the folded web whereupon theclampin jaws are closed upon the web and the. tube. Thereupon,

a bag section-held between the clamping jaws is severed from the web, and the bag section is provided with a charge of tea through the filling tube. The filling tube. is then withdrawn and the supporting members are advanced past stitching mechanism where the open mouth and side edges of the bag are sewn to form the filled and closed bag,

fAs villustrated and described in the Williams patents above referred to, provision is made for mounting each bag supporting member tobe capable of movement in a vertical planewhereby the bag may be moved from a vertical to a horizontal position and to be returned, and provision is also made for rotating the clamping jaws while disposed .in their horizontal position whereby to successively present the open mouth and side edges of the bag to the various sewing mecha nisms as the supporting members are continuously moved through the machine.

The tea bagging machines of the Williams type were particularly designed for the production of teabags from cloth, such as fine mesh gauze,or other-relatively yieldable material. The bag supporting members or'grippers of the type heretofore employed, have been satisfactory for supporting such cloth containers for the reason that the material being of a yieldable character, offeredless resistance to the grippers and was thus more readily retained therebetween. Also, escape of the tea through the mouth and side edges of the bag was less likely to occur during the above-described movement through the machine because the edges of the bag making material tended to adhere together and also because the tea tended to cling to the fibers of the cloth thus being retained within the bag. However, when paper such as the usual filter paper or perforated parchment paper was substituted for cloth as the bag making material, the relatively firm and non-yielding character of the paper and also the relatively smooth surface thereof rendered it difoficult' to retain the'bagin such prior grippers without slippage of the bag in its gripper as it passed through the various mechanisms of the machine, and it was also found that-during the rotation of the bagfas above described, the tea would become displaced and escape through openingsin .the mouth and side edges of the bag due to the inability of such prior grippers to success-- fully hold the paper containers in positively closed condition during such movement.

In accordance with one feature thereof the present invention aims to provide a construction of bag supporting member which is adapted to retain such paper containers in a tightly and positively closed condition during their movement through. the machine so asto prevent slippage of the bagin the gripper during the various operations performed on the bag and so as to prevent escape of the tea therefrom. Although the present bag supporting members are .particu: larly adapted for use with such paper containers, it is not desired to limit theinventiondn-this respect since the present grippers may:be..:em-; bodied in a machine for producing tea'bags from other materials as well.

In the grippers illustrated in the patent to Williams, above referred to, the clamping members. were provided with an opening adjacent. the mouth ortion. of .the bag to .enable the clamping members to be closed over the .filling tube. Thus, when the.filling tube-waswithdrawn the mouth of the bag wasleft in asubstantially open condition .so..that. during subsequent movement of the. supporting ,member and the bag, as above described, thetea-within the bag section wasfree to escapev through such opening.

In accordance with another feature of the presentinvention, the, clamping members are .of a construction such as to permit them to be closed over the web of bag forming material and over the filling tube andto thereafter positively close the mouthofthe bag after the filling. tube has been. withdrawn wherebyto prevent escape of the teafrom; within the-bag when the latter is moved from ,a. vertical to a. horizontal position and also to enable.theclampingmembers to hold the mouth of thebag in a tightly closed position during. the subsequent. sewing operations.

Referring nowto the drawings which illustrate thepreferred embodiment of the invention, the present bagsupporting member includes grippers 4 comprisingapairof clamping jaws .IO, |2.arranged to be-opened to. receive a folded. web .of bagformingmaterial. 14, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2,.and,.to be. closed over a .bag section as illustrated in Fig. 3. The .clamp-ingjaws are pivotally and .yieldingly retained in; aholder 16 in a manner. such as.-,tenable... them to be. yieldingly snappedinto open or .closed position.- As herein shown, the.side walls 18, 20-of the clamping jaws comprise. flat springs arranged topivot upon opposed open bearings 22,. 24 provided in the holder l6. Thebearings 22; 24 are rounded toreceive. the hooked ends. 26, 28 of the' side wall spring. members .I8,.2U,.as best shown in Fig. 3. The clamping jaws are .also pivotally connected together upon acommon center comprising a pin 30 arranged to be engagedby open bearings provided in.the sides of. the clamping jaws.

It.will beobserved that. the pin-30 is movable relative tothe springwall pivots 22, 24 so that in operation, when pressure is applied to the pin 30 in one direction, the pinis yieldingly moved to open the jaws, and when the pin. is moved beyond the-dead centerline through the pivots 22, 24,v the jaws will besnapped into their. open position. The clampingjaws are limited in their opening movement by theengagement of the cut awayportionsBZ, provided in the jaws below thepinfifi as-clearly shown inFigs; 1 and.,3.i As illustrated inFig; 3, "an, opening..35 :is. providedin the holder l for the reception of a' pressure applying member 2| as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 7, arranged to be projected against the pin 30 during the operation of the machine. In practice, the jaws are preferably urged into their closed position against the pressure of the spring walls I8, by the application of pressure against either one or both sides of the jaws, suchas.by-a rubber covered-roller 14m; shown in Fig. 7. When. the pin is moved past the dead center in the opposite direction, the jaws will be snapped into their closed position. For a full and a complete disclosure of the jaw opening and closing mechanism reference is made to the Williams Patent 2,071,244.

lnithetmachineiin which the invention is preferably'embodied; as above described, provision is made for movingthe bag supporting member from a verticalposition, as shown in Fig. 1, and inpwh'ich position the bag section is preferably filled, to a substantially horizontal. position, as shown'in Fig. 6, in'which position the mouth and side edges of the bag section are sewn as the bag supporting memberis continuouslyaolvanced; In the illustrated embodiment, the clamping jaw holder. I61 is carried by an arm 36 pivotally mounted upon an endless carrier chain' 38 provided withlugslM as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and '7. In order to rock the unit on its pivot '39from avertical to a horizontal position and return; the arm 36 is provided with a pin 40 arranged. to be received in a stationary track formed by the guides 62, ddso'that-as the carrier is advanced;

the position of the unitmay be controlled. The stationary guides 42, 44 "may be adjustably supported in a bracket"!!! mounted on theplatenfil of the machine. The lower .end .of the arm 36 may be provided with an'extension 46 .in which an adjustable screw :38 is carried, the latter being arranged to rest against a stationary surface'5fi in order to limit .the movement of the unit at those portions of the machine where the stationary guides 42," 4d are omitted. The stationary surface ,fiil'may also'be extended to form a cam surface "as shown. in Fig. 6 for raising the unit from itshorizontal position intoa position to be received between the guides 42,44 for maintaining the units in their vertical position.

In' the operation ofthe machine, as the bag supporting unit is carried along in its substantantially horizontalposition as shown in Fig.7, 6, provision is made for rotating the clamping jaw holder l 6on its own axis 54 in order that the open mouth" and side edges may be successively presented to the various sewing heads, one of which is diagrammatically indicated. at 52 in Fig. 6, as the bag section'is advanced through the machine. Ashereinshown, .the holder 16 is formed jinev tegrally'witha stud 5 rotatably journale'd in.the arm-3E 'and 'rotation' of the holder may be effected bythe engagement of suitably formed projections EG-onthe holder? with stationary pins 51 disposedinthe path thereof. Each stationary pin '51, as shown inFigxd-maybe supported in a bracket 59-mounted on the platen 61. Any suitable mechanism for retaining the holder in its rotated position maybe provided, such 'as 'a look ing stud 58,- which is adapted to enter openings 63 provided in the holder. The rotatably mounted stud 54 is yieldingly mounted in the arm 36 whereby to permit the holder to be depressed against the resistance of a spring '60 in order to release theholder from-its locking'stud 53' prior to the rotating operation: The depressionof the holder may beefiected by a ro1'1er69 also"carried in the bracket 59 and disposed in the path of the top of the stud 54, as shown. After passing a rotating station, the holder is again retracted by the spring 60 to seat the locking stud 58 into a succeeding opening 63 in the holder to again lock the unit in its rotated position.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, thebag sections are preferably filled While being moved along in their vertical position, as indicated in Fig. 1, and in the operation of the machine, as set forth in said Williams patents, the clamping jaws H), l2 are arranged to closeover the web M of bag making material after the filling tubes have entered therebetween. As herein shown, the filling mechanism may include a plurality of vertically movable tubes 62 arranged to move along with successive bag supporting units as they are being advanced, and after a charge of material has been deposited through the tube and into an individual bag section, the filling tube is then withdrawn. The web l4 may be severed between successive bag supporting units along the lines 64', see Fig.2, to provide indivdual bag sections as the web is advanced, either prior to or after the filling operation.

In order to permit the clamping jaws l0, l2 to be closed upon the filling tube and to thereafter close upon the mouth of the bag after the filling operation and after the filling tube has been withdrawn, the clamping jaws, as herein shown, are provided with spring pressed upper flaps 65, 61, arranged to yield outwardly upon engagement with the filling tube, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and to subsequently close upon the mouth of the bag section, upon withdrawal of the filling tube as shown in Fig. 3. The flaps 65, 61 extend across the entire width of the jaws and as herein shown are hinged upon pins 10, 12 supported in the jaws I0, [2 respectively. The hinged flaps are urgedinwardly into a position to grasp the mouth of the bag by coil springs 14, Hi-as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thus, when the bag supporting member is moved from its vertical to its horizontal position as above described, the tea is prevented from escaping through the mouth of the bag, and the mouth of the bag is held in a tightly closed condition for presentation to the sewing mechanism.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, in order to positively hold the side edges of the bag in tightly closed position so as to prevent the escape of tea therethrough during the rotation of the bag as above described and also to reduce to a minimum the liability of slippage of the bag in its supporting member during operation thereon in the production of the bag, one of the clamping jaws, I2, is provided with a metal spring 80 riveted thereto and extending transversely of the jaw to present its outer edges 82, 84 in a position to engage the edges 86, 88 of the opposing jaw 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The side edges of the clamping jaw l2 are grooved as shown at 90, 92 to provide clearance for the spring 80. Thus the side edges of the bag are yieldin'gly held in a tightly closed condition between the spring 80 and the edges 86, 88 of the jaw. In order to further assist in obtaining a firm grasp on the bag the side edges or bag engaging portions of the jaws Ill, l2 are serrated or roughened as indicated in Fig. 4.

The mode of operation of the bag holding devices can best be described by reference to Fig. 7 in which the units are shown as embodied in a tea bagging machine of the construction shown in drawn from the grippers.

Fig. l of the Williams Patent No. 2,351,382. As thereinv shown, a nozzle carrier 220 is provided above a portion of the carrier 38 for conveying the grippers 4 which carry the containers or bags to be. filled. The grippers are adapted to be swung vertically and are also adapted to berotated horizontally. The filling material, which may be tea, is carried in a hopper 8 concentric to the gripper carrier 38 atone end of the machine. The hopper is provided with measuring chambers which communicates one by one with a spout. The nozzles 62 are vertically movable on their carrier so that each will be lowered into an open substantially vertical gripper. Bag making fabric is drawn from a roll thereof through the open grippers and shaped in the form of a V to receive the descending nozzles which serve as bag formers. The grippers are closed, one by one, on the bag material and around their nozzles. The latter then pass beneath the spout to receive tea from the hopper and subsequently are with- The fabric strip [4 is cut transversely by a cloth knife, between adjacent closed grippers to form bag sections, each of which is thus carried by a gripper. The knife is so positioned that the lead end of the fabric strip is continuously being drawn by one or more of the closed grippers through one or more of the open grippers. The cloth knife is moved longitudinally with the fabric strip during the cutting thereof and is lowered out of the path of the grippers and nozzles during its return stroke. While the nozzles are being raised out of the bag sections any tea in the nozzles falls by gravity into the bag sections which are then carried by the grippers past a sewing or surging machine 52 for trimming and sewing the ends or mouths of the bag sections. The thread is cut and the grippers are lowered one by one, to a substantially horizontal position. One side of each bag section is positioned for being sewn and trimmed by either one of two spaced apart surging machines 52a, 52b adapted to form suitable stitching forattaching tags I? to the bag sections. To space the tags from their bags, alternate grippers are swung to a position in which the bag sections carried thereby will not be engaged by the first 52a of the said two surging machines. The tags are fed to and sewn into the stitching at a maximumv distance from their bags and the stitching is out between the tags and the adjacent bag section. The grippers carrying the tagged bag sections are then swung upwardly to a position in which the tagged bags will not be engaged by the second 521; of the said two surging machines, and the grippers which were originally moved out of position for engagement by the first of the two surging machines are now lowered to position the untagged bag sections carried thereby for engagement by the second 52b of the two surging machines whereby tags are applied to the untagged bag sections. The stitching is out between each tag and its adjacent bag section. The grippers carrying the first tagged bags are then lowered into alinement with the grippers carry-- ing the second tagged bags and all the grippers are turned, one by one, to bring the other, unsewn,'side of each bag section into position for being trimmed and sewn by another sewing machine 520. The three machines for sewing the mouths of the bags and for sewing one side and attaching the tags thereto are arranged along one side of the packaging apparatus and are driven by a sectional shaft. so that each sewing machine maybe readily removed .from;the appa' ratus independently of the a other. sewing mae chinesu The :fourth sewing machine 520 is positioned; on: the. opposite side .of the apparatus. After the bags leave the fourth? sewing machine thethread is cut, the'grippers. are released and turned 90, the bags .are engaged-by a rotary clamping device 3%; and the grippers'are opened to permit the clamping device to remove the bags from their grippers anddropthe'm onto a: con.-

veyor'iflfi. All the grippers are then swung up.

wardly to asubstantially vertical position to receive fresh .bag making fabric.v

From the above description it will be-seen that the present bag supporting device'is particularly adapted for. use in a teaibaggimg. machine of the character-described wherein'the bag making material comprises paper or liketrelatively firm. and

non-yielding material and that "the construction of'the supporting device LiSSuChf as to-render it.

capableof holding suchpaper bag securely closed so as to reduce ltO aminimum liability of slippage..of:.the:bag and toprevent' escape of .tea therefrom during its movement through the machine;

While the presentdevice has been described as being particularly adapted for use in' the production of paper containers, it will be understood that it is equally emcient for use in'and may be used:with advantage' in a machine for producing clotlrorother types of containers.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein'illustrated and described, it willbe understoodthat the invention may be embodied inotherforms Within the scope of the fol-. lowing claims.

Having thus'described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a tea bagging machine havingan endless carrier chain. provided with a plurality of carrier arms, each of said carrier arms being pivotally mounted on said chain and arranged to be swung in a vertical plane, bag supporting means comprising a frame adapted to be rotatably mounted.

on said arm and having a pair of hollow clamping jaws pivotally carried on said frame and adapted to be closed about a bag having an'open mouth portion, anda pair ofpivotally mounted flaps carried by said clamping jaws and arranged to yieldingly engage said mouth portion to hold the latter in a securely closed condition when the-clamping jaws are closed about the bag.

2. In a tea bagging machine having an endless carrier .chain provided with a plurality of carrier arms, each of saidcarrier arms being pivotally mounted on said chain and arranged to be swung ina vertical plane, bag supporting means com? prising a frame adapted .to be rotatably mounted on said arm'and having a pair of hollow clamping jaws. pivotall'y' carried on said frame and adapted to be closed about a bag having open side edges, and a yieldable .member I carried by one of said clamping jaws arranged to cooperate with the-.edge'portions'of the opposing clamping'jaw' to hold said side edges securely closed when said jaws are closed about the 'bag.

3. In atea bagging machine having an endless carrier chain provided with aiplurality of carrier arms-each of said carrier arms being pivotally mounted .on said chain and arranged to be swung in arvertical. plane, bag supporting means comprising. aframe adapted to be rotatably mounted onfsaidarm andhavinga pair of clamping jaws pivotally carried onisaid frame and adapted to" aeoaeoi;

becclosediupon a bag having annopen mouth portion: andyopen... side edges; a. pair. of .pivotally. mountedflapscarried bygsaid clamping jaws and arranged to .yie1dingly;engagesaidmouth portion to :hold the-latter inxa securely closed condition when said jaws fife-01058611113011. thebag, and a springcarriedby one .of said clamping jaws, said spring engaginggthe sideedgesof the opposing clampinggjaw to; hold said side edges securely closedwhen. said'jaws are closed upon the bag 4.? In antea bagging machine having an endless carrier chain provided-.witha pluralityof carrier arms, each of -.said carrier arms being pivotallyjmountedon saidchain andarranged to be swung in a vertical. plane, bag supporting means comprising a frame adapted :to be'rotatably mounted on said armand having a pair .of clamp.- ing; jaws .pivotally carried on said frame and adapted to be closed'upon a bag having'an open mouth portion and openside edges, a'pairof pivotally mounted flaps carried-by said clamping jaws and arranged to yieldingly engage *said mouth portion to. holdthe latter'in. a securely closed condition when said jawsare-closed upon the bag, and a spring carriedxby one of said clamping jaws; said. spring engaging the side edges of the opposing clamping jaw to holdsaid side edges securely closed when said jaws are closed upon the bag, said pivotally mounted flaps and said spring cooperating ,toretain the bag. in the supporting device.

5. In a tea bagging machine having an endless carrier chain provided-with a plurality of carrier arms, eachof said carrier arms being pivotally mounted on said chain and arranged to be swung in a vertical plane, bagsupporting means comprising a frame adapted to be .rotatably mounted on said arm and havingapair ofclamping jaws pivotally carried on saidframe andadapted to be closed upon. a bag having an open mouth portion and open'sideedgesmeans carriedby said clampingjaws arranged to hold saidmouth portion in a securely closedcondition, and :a spring'carried by one-of :said clampingjaws, said spring engagingtheside edges of the opposing clamping'jaw to hold said side edges securely closed and to prevent the bag slipping in: the jaws.

6. In a tea baggingmachinehaving.anendless carrier, chain provided with a plurality of carrier arms, each of :said carrier arms being pivotally mounted onisaid chain and arrangedto be swung in a vertical plane, bagsuDbortihg means comprising aframeadapted tobe rotatably mounted on said arm and having :apairof clamping jaws- -piv-otally carried on said frame and adapted to'be closed upon a bag having an open mouth portion and open side edges, means carried by said clamping jaws arranged to hold.

said mouth portion in a securely closedcondition, and a spring carried by one of said clamping'jaws, said spring engaging the side edgesof the opposing clamping jaw to hold said side edges securely closed and in'substantially non-slipping condition, said'clampingjaws being serrated or roughened :at theirfoag. engaging portions.

7. Ina tea baggingmachine of the type having a filling tube adapted to enter an open mouthed bag :to perform the filling operation and to be withdrawn therefrom after the filling operation is completed and having an endless carrier chain provided'with'a plurality of carrier arms, each of said carrier arms being pivotally mounted on said chain and arrangedto be swung in a vertical p1a'ne,bag-supporting means c0mprising a frame adapted to be rotatably mounted on said arm and having a pair of hollow clamping jaws pivotally carried on said frame and arranged to be closed about the bag and the tube, and a pair of yieldably mounted flaps carried by said clamping jaws arranged to yield upon engagement with said tube, and to close upon the open mouth of the bag after the filling tube has been withdrawn.

8. In a tea bagging machine provided with a plurality of sealing devices arranged to seal the open side edges of a bag presented thereto while held in a supporting device and having an endless carrier chain provided with a plurality of carrier arms, each of said carrier arms being pivotally mounted on said chain and arranged to be swung in a vertical plane, bag supporting means comprising a frame adapted to be rotatably mounted on said arm and having a pair of hollow clamping jaws pivotally carried on said'frame, and a yieldable member carried by'one of the clamping jaws arranged to cooperate with the edge portions of the opposing clamping jaw to hold said side edges securely closed whereby to prevent the escape of tea therefrom during rotation of said jaws.

9. In a tea bagging machine of the type having an endless carrier chain provided with a plurality of carrier arms, each of said carrier arms being pivotally mounted on said chain and arranged to be swung in a vertical plane, bag supporting means comprising a frame adapted to be rotatably mounted on said arm and having a pair of hollow clamping jaws pivotally carried on said frame and adapted to be closed about a bag having an open mouth portion, said jaws also being adapted to be moved from a vertical position in which the bag is adapted to be filled to a horizontal position in which the bag is adapted to be sealed, and a pair of pivotally mounted flaps carried by said clamping jaws arranged to close upon said mouth portion after the filling operation has been performed to hold the mouth in a securely closed condition whereby to prevent the escape of tea from the bag during movement from a vertical to a horizontal position.

10. In a tea bagging machine of the type having an endless carrier chain provided with a plurality of carrier arms, each of said carrier arms being pivotally mounted on said chain and arranged to be swung in a vertical plane, bag supporting means comprising a frame adapted to be rotatably mounted on said arm and having a pair of clamping jaws pivotally carried on said frame and arranged to be closed up n a bag having an open mouth portion and open side edges, said clamping jaws being adapted to be moved from a vertical position in which the bag is adapted to be filled to a horizontal position in which the bag is adapted to be sealed, said clamping jaws also being adapted to be rotated to dispose different edges of the bag in sealing position, a pair of pivotally mounted flaps carried by said clamping jaws arranged to close upon said mouth portion after the filling operation, and a spring carried by One of said clamping jaws, said spring engaging the side edges of the opposing clamping jaw to hold said side edges securely closed, whereby to prevent escape of tea from the bag during said movement of the clamping jaws.

LEWIS B. EATON. 

